2Kings5:26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? 27 Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever”
THE SPIRIT OF GEHAZI
There’s a spirit I call the ‘spirit of Gehazi’. It is the spirit of greed, avarice and love for Mammon. Sometimes, it ruins a glorious destiny before stepping into its fullness. Kenneth E. Hagin of blessed memory told the story of a man that was operating powerfully in the supernatural. He had a unique healing anointing. In one of his programmes, he began to raise money indiscriminately probably because people were thrilled to see healing miracles. I noticed that people can easily be cajoled to give after seeing raw power in demonstration. That’s not God’s way.
We’ll always need money to run our programs and outreaches. Also, ministers welfare is biblical and not something up for debate but God expect us to go about it the bible way. Papa Hagin said he saw the anointing lift from him. That great Evangelist lost the anointing because of greed and love for money. In the bible, Gehazi was positioned to take over the mantle of prophetic leadership from Elisha. Don’t forget Elisha got a double portion of anointing from Elijah to become a national prophet.
Their prophetic anointing was unique even amidst other prophets in town. Everyone conceded spiritual leadership to them because they were a different breed. Those that knew Gehazi must have tipped him as a successor of the Elijah-Elisha prophetic order but he lost it because of greed and love of money. He collected the gifts his master rejected (2 kings 5).
The spirit of Gehazi seeks to commercialize the anointing. Little wonder why Elisha’s anointed staff didn’t work in his hands when he was told to lay it on a dead lad(2Kings4:29-36). If the boy had risen, brother Gehazi may charge them for resurrection service. Greed was a destructive seed that grew with him and later destroyed him when it mattered most.
There are powerful singers, preachers and anointed brethren who wouldn’t minister until you negotiate a fee with them. Those who put money or material gain above souls will have limited impact. Some preachers prefer to be called ‘speakers’ so that they can appear as someone that want to render a consultancy service not as ministers/ preachers of the word of life.
To them, that’s being branded for ministry but they are grounded without knowing. It is a thing of joy to be called a bible preacher. No need to call it another name not even life coach. It is not easy to be anointed but it is so easy to lose the anointing through greed. I have seen a preacher cart away all offerings raised during his ministration without taking permission from his host. Those who do such don’t last in ministry.
The ministry of some would have been global but greed for gains made it local. Are you greedy for gain? Is money and gains your motivation for doing ministry?
Money is a good servant but a bad master. Kill greed before it kills you.
PRAYER: I mortify all traces of greed in my life in Jesus name.